South Carolina is often described as a paradise for golf lovers.
There are innumerable golf courses in the state, but needless to say, not all are praiseworthy. You might face a dilemma when choosing a golf course from so many options.
To make your task a little easier, we have conducted thorough research to compile a list of the top 30 golf courses in South Carolina.
In the first 5 golf courses are famous ones, including Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, known for its iconic lighthouse, and Kiawah Island Golf Resort’s Ocean Course with Atlantic Ocean views, among others.
Harbor Town Golf Links, Hilton Head Island
Source: Wikimedia/Shep McAllister shep979 | CC0 1.0 UniversalIf you want to put your game to the ultimate test then you must come down to the Harbor Town Golf Links at Hilton Head Island.
This course is a hot favorite among the PGA Tour players as it places a lot of emphasis on shot making and finesse.
Source: Wikimedia/danperry.com | CC BY 2.0 GenericThe Harbor Town Golf Links has undergone many enhancements in the recent years which includes Bermuda Grass for the fairways. It is the home for the RBC Heritage which attracts many top golfers around the world.
It’s known for its iconic red-and-white-striped lighthouse near the 18th green.
Address: 11 Lighthouse Ln, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, United States
The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island
Source: Wikimedia/Bill Showalter | CC BY 2.0 GenericThis is one of the finest creations of golf architect, Pete Dye. The course came into limelight in 1991 when it hosted the Ryder Cup matches and the PGA Championship in 2012.
It has been labeled as the toughest course in the US by Golf Digest. The striking feature of the course is that it has 10 holes that are directly along the beach.
Address: 1000 Ocean Course Dr, Kiawah Island, SC 29455, United States
Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort
The golf course is in the Leamington section of the Palmetto Dunes Resort and the whole atmosphere looks like that of a private country club.
This beautiful golf course has been built on a series of sand dunes and located just half a mile from the Atlantic.
The lush greenery and the wide-open fairways makes this course a real pleasure to play on. It is important to note that the holes set is somewhat shorter on the homeward stretch.
Address: 4 Queens Folly Rd, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, United States
Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, Pawleys Island
Established on the site of a Southern rice plantation, the Caledonia Club has been revered by many for its beauty and wonderful design.
The entrance is lined with age old live oaks and golfing here is a wonderful experience. The Golf Digest has named Caledonia as one of the 100 Greatest Public Courses in the US.
Address: 369 Caledonia Dr, Pawleys Island, SC 29585, United States
Tidewater Golf Club, North Myrtle Beach
Overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway, the Tidewater Golf Club deliver brilliant views and great challenges.
The signature Hole # 13 affords an exemplary view of the Atlantic Ocean and is lined with beautiful hardwood trees.
The 539 yard course offers a stunning view of the inlet which runs just along the right side of the hole.
Address: 1400 Tidewater Dr, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582, United States
The Dunes Golf Beach Club, Myrtle Beach
The Dunes Golf & Beach Club has been named as one of the Top 100 Classic Courses by Golfweek.
Its famous Par 5, 13th hole has received many awards and accolades for being one of the greatest golf holes in the world.
This beautiful course has already hosted US Women’s Open and the Ingersoll-Rand Senior Tour Championship.
It is interesting to note that the Championship course measures a whopping 7450 yards.
Address: 9000 N Ocean Blvd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572, United States
True Blue, Pawleys Island
Built on the site of an old rice plantation, the True Blue Golf Club features a rugged terrain and quite interesting natural elevations.
The sandy areas are a direct contrast to the lush greens and fairways. This golf course has 5 sets of tees and plays over 7100 yards.
Address: 900 Blue Stem Dr, Pawleys Island, SC 29585, United States
Wild Dunes Link Course, Isle of Palms
Designed by Tom Fazio, this golf course is highly regarded and ranked highly by Golf & Golf Digest. The rolling fairways pose significant challenge for all levels of golf players.
The famous 18th hole offers a new level of challenge. The ocean-side hole has been redesigned now and is now a par 3.
Address: 10001 Back Bay Dr, Isle of Palms, SC 29451, United States
May River Golf Club at Palmetto Bluff, Bluffton
The May River Golf Club is a Jack Nicklaus signature course that weaves right through the May River Forest.
This is a truly amazing course that has a unique blend of championship level design and natural beauty that promises golfers of every level.
The Champions Bermuda Greens are well guarded by the white-sand bunkers and the undulating slopes would surely challenge anybody’s putting skills.
Address: 350 Mt Pelia Rd, Bluffton, SC 29910, United States
Turtle Point, Kiawah Island
Turtle point is a very low profile golf resort that opened its doors to the public in 1981.
The fairways and the green settings are blended into the existing landscape without any of the radical features that have become so popular in the later decade.
The course offers a stern test for all golfers. In 2002 a new clubhouse was opened and along with a 24,000 sq ft teaching facility.
Address: 1 Turtle Point Ln, Kiawah Island, SC 29455, United States
Tournament Players Club Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet
The Tournament Players Club once hosted the Senior PGA Tour Championship and, till date, it remains the only golf course in the Myrtle Beach to get a 5 star rating by the Golf Digest Magazine.
The players always get an exceptional experience whenever they play at the Tournament Players Club.
Address: 1199 TPC Blvd, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576, United States
Prestwick Country Club, Myrtle Beach
It is a real masterpiece and rightfully considered by many as one of the finest golf course in this part of the world.
The main features include 35 foot berms, the dazzling wildflowers and the lakes and streams. The beautiful layout offers as many as six sets of tees for any level of golfer.
Address: 1001 Links Rd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29575, United States
Grand Dunes Resort Course, Myrtle Beach
This spectacular 18-hole championship course has beautifully blended into the natural landscape and overlooks the Marina Village.
The course has been designed by the Roger Rulewich Group and it provides a great round of golf for every player with brand new challenges and breathtaking views of the surroundings.
Address: 8700 Golf Village Ln, Myrtle Beach, SC 29579, United States
Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club, Pawleys Island
This beautiful Jack Nicklaus Signature course boasts of a rare design which aims to deliver an exceptional and noteworthy golfing experience.
The green fairways lead to the subtle greens that are naturally protected by the salt marsh of the Pawleys Island.
You can also stay here in one of the 1/2/3/4 bedrooms villas that overlooks the golf course.
Address: 70 Tanglewood Dr, Pawleys Island, SC 29585, United States
The Walkers Course, Clemson
Source: ClemsonGolfCourse/FacebookThe Walker Course has been designed to accommodate golfers of all skill levels. The course measures 6900+ yards in length with a playable area of 5934 yards.
The signature hole is the No 17, a par 3 with green shaped like a tiger paw.
The main features of the course includes a putting green, the Clubhouse Grill, a fully stocked shop for the pros and a full service driving range.
Address: 210 Madren Center Dr, Clemson, SC 29634, United States
Osprey Point, Kiawah Island
The Osprey Point Golf Course has been designed by Tom Fazio and is ranked among the top 75 resort courses in the US.
Fazio beautifully utilized the surroundings like the four natural lakes, the dense pine forest and the saltwater marsh.
In fact, you can see that the water comes into play in as many as 15 holes.
Address: 700 Governors Dr, Kiawah Island, SC 29455, United States
Pine Lakes Golf Course, Myrtle Beach
The Pine Lakes Country Club holds the honor of being the first golf course in Myrtle Beach.
The course has been designed by, Robert White, the 1st President of PGA.
If you are on a golf vacation then you should come to Pine Lakes Golf Course to experience a piece of history and enjoy modern luxuries too.
Address: 5603 Granddaddy Dr, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577, United States
Furman University Golf Course, Greenville
The Furman University Golf Course has been highly rated by the South Carolina Golf Course Ratings Panel. It was also highly ranked by the Greenville News readers.
Designed by Kris Spence, the course follows the flow of the beautiful land on which the course has been set up.
Address: 400 N Hwy 25 Bypass, Greenville, SC 29617, United States
Cougar Point, Kiawah Island
The Cougar Point Golf Course is relatively new and opened its doors only in September 1996.
The course is known for the three-hole stretch midway in the front nine where the holes almost border the tidal marsh.
The Cougar Point offers 4 magnificent finishing holes that culminates in the dramatic par four 18th hole.
Address: 12 Kiawah Beach Dr, Kiawah Island, SC 29455, United States
Crooked Oaks Course, Seabrook Island
Designed by Robert Trent Jones, the Crooked Oaks Course winds through the live oaks, the marsh lands and the maritime forests.
The difficulty level ranges from moderate to very reasonably difficult depending upon the yardage that has been chosen by the golfer.
Address: 3772 Seabrook Island Rd, Seabrook Island, SC 29455, USA
Heron Point by Pete Dye, Hilton Head Island
The course has been designed by none other than the legendary architect, Pete Dye.
The course has undergone recent modifications under the guidance of Dye himself in an effort to make the course more player friendly.
The Golf Digest has described Heron Point as one of the best places to play Golf in South Carolina.
Address: 100 N Sea Pines Dr, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, United States
Barefoot Golf Resort, Fazio Course, North Myrtle Beach
Barefoot Foot Golf Resort in North Myrtle Beach is one of the flagship properties of South Carolina. The layout of the course has been well appreciated at many quarters.
Legendary golf architect Tom Fazio really did some amazing work at the Barefoot Golf Resort.
The Fazio Course @ Barefoot Golf Resort is located right at the heart of the resort.
The water features are visible on 15 holes and the Fazio Course offers some really stunning visuals and outstanding conditions making one of the most revered tee times in Myrtle Beach.
The course is very similar to many European courses as the course do not return to the Clubhouse after nine holes.
The Fazio course has incorporated a lot of tree cover and a number of lakes in its landscape. The water features can be seen in as many as 15 holes.
The course has been designed to perfection so that the lesser skilled players can enjoy the elite course.
Address: 4980 Barefoot Resort Bridge Rd, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582, United States
Country Club of South Carolina, Florence
The Country Club of South Carolina is a very challenging and mature golf venue that has served as a PGA sanctioned tournament site.
The layout of the club is simply remarkable and perfect for golfers of all skill levels. There is a full package of practice facilities on offer including professional instructions, putting green and bunkers.
Address: 3525 McDonald Blvd, Florence, SC 29506, United States
Orangeburg Country Club, Orangeburg
Known as the Garden City, Orangeburg is an area of superb natural beauty. The many attractions of this place as well explored by the golfers, fishermen and the hunters.
The golf course is reasonably good and enjoyed by golfers of all levels. As per information, no Pro Rating is available for this golf course.
Address: 2745 Griffith Dr NW, Orangeburg, SC 29118, United States
Conclusion
For many travellers who happen to be pro golfers or enjoy golfing, South Carolina has some of the most amazing golf courses throughout its cities and many resorts situated along the Atlantic Ocean seaboard.
Due to the region’s Lowcountry state from the southern half which includes places like Kaiwah Island, Charleston, and Hilton Head, through to the north into places such as Myrtle Beach, it just shows the beauty and distinct ecosystems in the country.
The marshes, wetlands, and live oak forests, make South Carolina’s golf courses a marvel to explore such as the Greenville Country Club, Palmetto Golf Club, Sage Valley Golf Club designed by Tom Fazio and many more.
South Carolina’s fast development is springing up new courses around the Aiken, Columbus, Charleston, Kiawah Island, and Hilton Head areas.
Ensure to explore these famous golf courses in South Carolina and enjoy a good time with family and friends.
